The Soyuz-2.1b carrying the Ionosfera-M satellites and 53 Russian and foreign small satellites has been launched today from the Vostochny Cosmodrome

Photo: Ivan Timoshenko / Roscosmos

The RD-107А/RD-108А rocket engines produced by Samara-based facility of United Engine Corporation ensured a successful launch of the launch vehicle from the Vostochny Cosmodrome. Two Ionosfera-M heliogeophysical satellites and 53 Russian and foreign small satellites have been carried into orbit. 

The Soyuz-2.1b with the Fregat booster, Ionosfera-M No.1 and No.2 satellites and 53 Russian and foreign accompanying small satellites was launched on 5 November at 02:18am Moscow time from the Vostochny Cosmodrome. The RD-107А/108А engines installed on stages I and II of the launch vehicle worked properly. 

This successful launch of the Soyuz-2 type launch vehicle was the tenth launch in the current year that used the engines made by United Engine Corporation. 

The Ionosfera-M spacecraft is designed for observation of physical phenomena induced in Earth’s ionosphere by active natural and man-made impacts, spatiotemporal variations in the ionosphere, electromagnetic disturbances, Earth’s atmosphere composition and ozone distribution in the upper atmosphere layers, and for radiation monitoring. CubeSats and the first Russian-Chinese Druzhba ATURK satellite have been carried into orbit as an accompanying payload.